Should Estate Agents Acquire Formal Qualifications?

Should Estate Agents Acquire Formal Qualifications?

Hiring the right estate agent is almost as important as the process of acquiring a piece of real estate. There are many kinds of agents who can profess to represent you in your quest to buy or lease real estate, but the question you should really be asking yourself is – “Is this person going to represent my best interests all through the process or not?”

Estate Agents – Friend or Foe?

Acquiring real estate, whether it is for leasing purposes or for purchasing purposes, can be a nightmare or a wonderful experience. If you know what you want and the real estate agent you hire shares the same vision this would mean it would be smooth sailing all the way.

Unfortunately in most cases, the estate agent will work on trying to “push” or recommend properties which they think will suit your needs. Again, if you are open to this kind of “hard selling” technique then you may just find your “diamond in the rough”. The trouble really starts when you have one thing in mind and neither you nor the agent is willing to bend and accommodate anything else.

This is when having someone with a lot of experience and who is qualified in this area of expertise can be a seriously positive advantage. Although such agents may not be as cheap as the ones who are unqualified, in the long run you would probably be able to enjoy a more professionally designed experience.

There are a lot of different aspects within the process of real estate selling and buying that is complicated and if not properly understood could eventually put you on the losing end. Things like your financial reserves, your borrowing capacity, your current debts if any, your income and disposable income are all elements that factor in heavily in your quest to acquire real estate.

Is Having a Qualified Estate Agent Important to Represent You?

Having someone who is professionally qualified to handle the process is always a better option to go with. Of course, making sure the real estate agent you finally pick represents your best interests at all times is also another important decision you are going to have to make right at the beginning of your quest to acquire property.

The following are just a few tips that justify the need to hire only professionally qualified individuals:

Qualified estate agents usually abide by a code of ethics. This code essentially means that they are expected to behave and carry out their duties with the highest level of professionalism at all times.

Qualified estate agents are trained to find out all about the property and make full and truthful disclosures to you.

Qualified estate agents have the experience to immediately assess and put a suitable price tag on the property after viewing and considering all related aspects.

Qualified estate agents know how to take you through the various different steps from A – Z, so that they don’t waste your time showing you properties which would not suit your needs.

Recognising, recommending and requesting things like repairs on the property that you would otherwise not have noticed is another thing they are trained to do.

Good independent and honest home inspectors are also another service these agents are able to recommend as they often work with other such professionals.

Paper work is often something you would not really want to deal with, and even if you did, there would certainly be some aspects that would be beyond your comprehension. Qualified estate agents are well versed and able to handle any and all paper work, quickly and efficiently.

Making offers and requests in an unemotional and professional manner is not always easy to do if you don’t have a “middle man”. A lot of misunderstandings can be avoided with the presence of a qualified real estate agent who is well versed in dealing with delicate matters.

A qualified estate agent would be well informed on local zoning laws and ordinances, and this is important if you have interests in turning your property into something other than what it currently functions as. Extensions and renovations would also come under this category and having an agent that can advise you on the law and your rights is a definite advantage.

Often the legal jargon, which may not always be easy to understand, can end up being a huge pitfall just before closing the deal. Qualified agents are well able to spot this and advise you accordingly.